|
Post by Jaco on Feb 7, 2012 3:27:47 GMT
Listening to Ry Cooder .....Paris Texas, and his version of Dark was the night. Ry has a feel, a touch, an emotion that IMO is unsurpassed in his slide work. I've been listening to Dark was the night, both the original by Blind Willie Johnson and Ry's version for 5 weeks now. There is something about Blind Willie Johnsons' original that just goes right down into your soul. Jaco P.S. My wife is pulling her hair out
|
|
|
Post by wolvoboy on Feb 7, 2012 8:48:17 GMT
I think thats where it comes from when he plays it, if i could play Dark was the night with that feel and emotion and never play anything else i would be happy both versions are amazing, easy enough to learn(the tabs are out there) but very difficult to play, wolvoboy
|
|
|
Post by Jaco on Feb 7, 2012 13:12:10 GMT
VB I have an excellent tab that a friend helped me sort out. I found both Ry's tab and the Blind Willie Johnson tab on the net. I sent them to my friend Hiroshi in Japan he's a big Chris Whitley fan and a big National guitar fan. Hiroshi made some corrections to the tab and emailed it to me. IMO he's nailed it. I'd be happy to share it with you, send it to you. Just send me a private msg. I worked on Dark is the night for more than a month, getting those little nuances worked out. That's why my wife was pulling her hair out. I must've listened to both versions a thousand times ... Regards, Jaco
|
|
|
Post by wolvoboy on Feb 7, 2012 14:44:56 GMT
Hi Jaco i have sent you private msg wolvoboy
|
|
|
Post by slide496 on Feb 7, 2012 15:54:09 GMT
You might be interested in Roberto Luti's atmospheric electrified resonator version, if you are not aware of it:
I don't think Johnson played a resonator, reportedly a Stella or Hawaiian Conservatory, both of which had a distinctive sound - wonderful to my ear - and I don't know but I think Ry Cooder's probably an electric.
|
|
|
Post by Jaco on Feb 8, 2012 10:26:09 GMT
@slide
I think Ry used his vintage Martin which according to Ry is his main guitar for slide. I could be wrong, but I think he does use his Martin.
I'll check out the Youtube link .....thanks!
Jaco
|
|
|
Post by slide496 on Feb 8, 2012 11:26:57 GMT
I think you're right about Ry Cooder, sorry for the misinformation!
On the site devoted to him says "Cooder still owns a 1950s Martin 000-18, which Turner believes he used to record the theme from Paris, Texas" -
The you tube sounds like an acoustic to my ear. Its shown on youtube with a picture of him on electric.
|
|
|
Post by Jaco on Feb 8, 2012 14:19:44 GMT
@slide
Now worries mate .....I love Ry's slide work .....and man that Martin is sweet .......I have an mp3 interview with Ry where he talks about that guitar. It was one of the first guitars he ever owned ....He say's he can't explain the sound of it, and people, luthiers have tried to reproduce it with no luck ....Ry has seen copies of it and even played a few, but none ever lived up to his.
Jaco
|
|
|
Post by oldnick on Feb 8, 2012 19:11:58 GMT
Check out Catfish Keith's fine rendition of Dark was the night on his Twist it album
|
|
|
Post by hawgwash on Apr 17, 2021 15:28:09 GMT
I have a @ 1941 00-18 that i never really thought was that great til i tuned it down for slide and wow it knocks my socks off .
|
|
|
Post by jono1uk on Apr 17, 2021 15:43:30 GMT
Just listened to Ry's version.... much as a genius he is ..i wish he would raise his action a bit as he keeps hitting the frets .or .. is that part of the magic?
Jon
|
|
|
Post by Stevie on Apr 17, 2021 16:41:39 GMT
A bit of both I reckon Jono? I saw Martin Simpson play crystal clear slide capo'd at the second fret no more than two metres away and there's no raised action with a capo.
e&oe ...
|
|
|
Post by ken1953clark on Apr 17, 2021 17:35:31 GMT
Michael’s dissection of ‘Dark was the Night’ can be found in my archive, in the folder ‘Pocklington 2016’ 1drv.ms/f/s!AsU4mKZ5umq4sEE7ATH-ZN_6wJcy You might have to tweak the link, the ‘!’ Plays havoc with Safari. Don’t try to play them in situ, download them to your device and run them from there. Once downloaded please do not upload to public forums (sic). Michael please delete this post if you don’t want it publicly known.
|
|
|
Post by snakehips on Apr 17, 2021 23:45:49 GMT
Hi there !
I struggle to listen to other people’s rendition of that BLJ tune. Almost every time I’ve listened to someone playing it, they slide up to the Major 3rd note on the 1st string (4th fret), giving it a very Major 3rd feel. This is totally wrong. BWJ doesn’t play it like that. He plays that note MUCH flatter, almost Minor 3rd, BUT not quite. There is a gulf of difference in the tone and feel of the whole song that hardly anyone seems to get right, which takes them MILES away from how the original song sounds.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone play that right. And I don’t think I’d ever dare try to play that song live. I could never do it justice.
|
|
|
Post by twang1 on Apr 19, 2021 19:48:07 GMT
When I was young I'd copy note-for-note something but only for the purpose of learning but then I never played it exactly that way. When I want to play a song I love, I listen to it a lot and try to understand why I like it and which are the magic bits that make the music memorable and catchy. It might be a part of the melody, or just a single line, or the way the melody lies with the rhythm. Whatever... And then when I make my own version I try to retain those bits and what I feel is the magic, and hope for the best.
There are certain pieces of music, though, that I very rarely play live, expecially some very emotional blues songs. “Dark was the night...” among them. It would take me to dark places and I probably would stop in the middle of it. “Hard time killing floor” is another one I'd struggle... It's a personal thing and I respect musicians who want to have a go at it but... it's just...me. And when I listen to a cover I want the musician to make me feel it, or else (for certain songs) I'd feel very disappointed... I hope you got my point of view. Frank
|
|